¹Abraham travelled from there towards the land of the South , and lived between Kadesh and Shur . He lived as a foreigner in Gerar .

²Abraham said about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” Abimelech king of Gerar sent , and took Sarah .

³But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night , and said to him , “Behold , you are a dead man , because of the woman whom you have taken ; for she is a man ’s wife .”

⁴Now Abimelech had not come near her . He said, “Lord , will you kill even a righteous nation ?

⁵Didn’t he tell me , ‘She is my sister’? She , even she herself , said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands .”

⁶God said to him in the dream , “Yes , I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this , and I also withheld you from sinning against me . Therefore I didn’t allow you to touch her .

⁷Now therefore , restore the man ’s wife. For he is a prophet , and he will pray for you , and you will live . If you don’t restore her , know for sure that you will die , you , and all who are yours .”

⁸Abimelech rose early in the morning , and called all his servants , and told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared.

⁹Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him , “What have you done to us ? How have I sinned against you , that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin ? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done !”

¹⁰Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see , that you have done this thing ?”

¹¹Abraham said , “Because I thought , ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place . They will kill me for my wife’s sake .’

¹²Besides , she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

¹³When God caused me to wander from my father’s house , I said to her , ‘This is your kindness which you shall show to me . Everywhere that we go , say of me , “He is my brother.”’”

¹⁴Abimelech took sheep and cattle , male servants and female servants , and gave them to Abraham , and restored Sarah , his wife, to him .

¹⁵Abimelech said, “Behold , my land is before you . Dwell where it pleases you .”

¹⁶To Sarah he said, “Behold , I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver . Behold , it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you . In front of all you are vindicated.”

¹⁷Abraham prayed to God. So God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, and they bore children .

¹⁸For the LORD had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah , Abraham’s wife.